FAITH-BASED FOCUS GROUP Freedom’s Foundation at Valley Forge, PA, 2001

Columnist : Lincoln Institute

May, 2001

(Entry Survey results are in normal type, Exit Survey results are in Bold type)

1.) Does the Federal government currently provide funding to faith-based (religious) organizations that provide social or human services?

60%    YES, CURRENTLY FUNDS
13%    NO, CURRENTLY DOES NOT FUND
27%    DON’T KNOW

2.) Have you heard of President George W. Bush’s proposal to allow the Federal government to make more funding available to faith-based organizations that provide social or human services?

53%    YES
47%    NO

3.) Generally speaking, do you FAVOR or OPPOSE making more Federal funding available to faith-based organizations that provide social or human services?

33%    20%    STRONGLY FAVOR
40%    60%    SOMEWHAT FAVOR
20%    20%    SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
0%      0%      STRONGLY OPPOSE
7%      0%      DON’T KNOW

4.) One of the key components of President George W. Bush’s faith-based initiative is Charitable Choice.  Briefly stated, Charitable Choice would give any group – faith-based or secular – the opportunity to compete for social or human services funding under the same rules?  Do you FAVOR or OPPOSE this concept?

40%    53%    STRONGLY FAVOR
27%    40%    SOMEWHAT FAVOR
27%    7%      SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
7%      0%      STRONGLY OPPOSE
0%      0%      DON’T KNOW

5.) Would you be MORE LIKELY or LESS LIKELY to support Charitable Choice if the program included safeguards to ensure Federal funds are not used for inherently religious purposes?

47%    60%    MUCH MORE LIKELY
27%    40%    SOMEWHAT MORE LIKELY
7%      0%      SOMEWHAT LESS LIKELY
7%      0%      MUCH LESS LIKELY
13%    0%      DON’T KNOW

6.) Which should matter more: Whether an organization is affiliated with a religious institution, or whether an organization delivers social or human services in a cost-efficient and effective manner?

93%    93%    FUNDING BASED ON EFFECTIVENESS
7%      7%      FUNDING BASED ON RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION
0%      0%      NO OPINION

7.) Would you be concerned that if the Federal government provides funding to faith-based social service agencies the government would infringe on the religious freedom of religious institution providing those services?

53%    13%    VERY CONCERNED
27%    67%    SOMEWHAT CONCERNED
7%      13%    SOMEWHAT UNCONCERNED
13%    7%      VERY UNCONCERNED
0%      0%      NO OPINION

8.) Would you view the funding of social or human services by the Federal government as a violation of the “separation of church and state” principal?

47%    40%    YES
47%    47%    NO
7%      13%    DON’T KNOW

9.) Do you think Federal tax laws should be changed to allow taxpayers who do not itemize to take a charitable deduction?

73%    93%    YES
27%    7%      NO
0%      0%      DON’T KNOW

10.) Do you think the current cap on corporate deductions for contributions to charities should be raised?

27%    60%    YES
40%    20%    NO
33%    20%    DON’T KNOW

11.) Do you think a Federal law should be enacted protecting corporations that make in-kind contributions (ie: give services or goods rather than money) from being sued?

27%    27%    YES
40%    47%    NO
33%    27%    DON’T KNOW

12.) Would you FAVOR or OPPOSE the enactment of a Federal law to allow individuals over the age of 59 to withdraw funds from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) income tax-free if the money is donated to charity?

27%    53%    STRONGLY FAVOR
53%    33%    SOMEWHAT FAVOR
7%      13%    SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
7%      0%      STRONGLY OPPOSE
7%      0%      DON’T KNOW

13.) Generally speaking, do you think social or human services programs administered by the Federal government are effective?

27%    60%    YES
40%    13%    NO
33%    27%    DON’T KNOW

14.) Generally speaking, which level of government do you think does the best job in administering social or human service programs?

20%    27%    FEDERAL
27%    20%    STATE
33%    33%    COUNTY
20%    20%    MUNICIPAL (TOWNSHIP, CITY, BOROUGH)

15.) Generally speaking, which of the following do you think would be the most efficient at administering social or human services programs?

13%    7%      GOVERNMENT
27%    67%    FAITH-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
40%    27%    SECULAR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
20%    0%      FOR PROFIT BUSINESSES

16.) Which of the following social or human services do you think it would be appropriate to be provided by a faith-based organization?

(Reported in raw numbers, not percentages)

10       9          DRUG COUNSELING
12       14        SHELTERING THE HOMELESS
9         10        ALCOHOL COUNSELING
9         12        DAY CARE
11       12       ELDER CARE
6         9          JOB TRAINING
2         1          CONSULTING FOR ABUSED WOMEN
1         1          AIDS COUNSELING
1         1          DOMESTIC ABUSE COUNSELING
1         0          MARRIAGE COUNSELING
1         1          GENERAL COUNSELING
0         1          MENTALLY HANDICAPPED COUNSELING

17.) Would you FAVOR or OPPOSE the adoption of a new Federal law giving individuals a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for donations made to charities?

60%    73%    STRONGLY FAVOR
27%    20%    SOMEWHAT FAVOR
7%      7%      SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
0%      0%      STRONGLY OPPOSE
7%      0%      DON’T KNOW

18.) If the Federal government were to make more funding available to faith-based institutions, which of the following religions do you think should qualify:

(Reported in raw numbers, not percentages.)

7          9          Hare Krishnas
9          10        Church of Scientology
8          9          Unification Church
13        14        Protestant
15        15        Catholic
14        14        Jewish
9          12        Muslim
8          10        Buddhist
8          8          Nation of Islam
1          1          Salvation Army
0          1          Jehovah’s Witnesses
0          1          Wicckan

19.) Generally speaking, do you think the Federal government spends TOO MUCH, ABOUT THE RIGHT AMOUNG, or TOO LITTLE money on social or human services programs?

7%      TOO MUCH
13%    ABOUT THE RIGHT AMOUNT
53%    TOO LITTLE
27%    DON’T KNOW

20.) Generally speaking, do you think state government spends TOO MUCH, ABOUT THE RIGHT AMOUNT, or TOO LITTLE money on social or human services programs?

7%      TOO MUCH
13%    ABOUT THE RIGHT AMOUNT
67%    TOO LITTLE
13%    DON’T KNOW

21.) Do you think an exception should be made to Federal civil rights laws to allow faith-based organizations receiving Federal funding to make a belief in the hiring organization’s religion a condition of employment?

20%    13%    YES
73%    87%    NO
7%      0%      DON’T KNOW

22.) How concerned would you be that faith-based groups would force their views on their clients regardless of Federal regulations against such practices?

33%    27%    VERY CONCERNED
40%    53%    SOMEWHAT CONCERNED
20%    7%      SOMEWHAT UNCONCERNED
7%      13%    VERY UNCONCERNED
0%      0%      DON’T KNOW

23.) How concerned would you be that Federal regulations would weaken faith-based institutions by forcing them to water down their views?

13%    7%      VERY CONCERNED
40%    33%    SOMEWHAT CONCERNED
27%    20%    SOMEWHAT UNCONCERNED
13%    40%    VERY UNCONCERNED
7%      0%      DON’T KNOW

24.) President Bush has established a White House office to coordinate the involvement of more faith-based organizations in the provision of human or social services, do you think states like Pennsylvania should also establish such offices?

60%    47%    YES
27%    33%    NO
13%    20%    DON’T KNOW

25.) Do you think the Federal government ought to create a public-private “Compassion Fund” to provide management assistance and/or start-up capital to faith based groups and community organizations?

40%    53%    YES
53%    27%    NO
7%      20%    DON’T KNOW

FINALLY, WE’D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE MORE ABOUT YOU:

1.) Are you a:

47%    MALE
53%    FEMALE

2.) Are you a:

47%    DEMOCRAT
40%    REPUBLICAN
13%    SOMETHING ELSE

3.) Please give us your approximate income level:

7%     Under $20,000 per year
7%      $20,000 – $30,000 per year
20%    $30,000 – $40,000 per year
33%    $40,000 – $50,000 per year
13%    $50,000 – $60,000 per year
0%      $60,000 – $70,000 per year
13%    70,000 – $100,000 per year
0%      Over $100,000
7%     No Answer

4.) Your education level:

0%      No high school degree
13%    High school graduate
27%    College-level courses, no degree
40%    College degree
20%    Post-graduate degree

5.) Your age:

13%    18 – 24
13%    25 – 34
0%      35 – 44
40%    45 – 54
7%      55 – 60
20%    60 Plus
7%      No Answer

6.) How would you classify your main ethnic or racial background?

73%    WHITE
13%    BLACK
0%      HISPANIC
0%      ASIAN
0%      NATIVE AMERICAN
7%      OTHER
7%          NO ANSWER